Chana Cromer

Chana Cromer, a resident of Jerusalem, was born in Italy to parents who survived the Holocaust, was raised in Kansas City in the USA and immigrated to Israel in 1972. Chana, along with her late husband Gerald Cromer z”l, were among the founders of the Ephrata School and of Kehilat Yedidya Congregation in Jerusalem. She is a proud mother of four and grandmother of fourteen.

Cromer received her BA in literature at Washington University in St. Louis and her MAT at Boston College. At Bezalel Academy of Art in Jerusalem, she received her BFA in 1982. In 1979-80 she studied printmaking at Pratt Institute, and in 1987-88, textile printing at Philadelphia College of the Arts. Concurrent with her artwork, Cromer does synagogue textiles, as well as having taught for many years as a teacher and lecturer in high schools and colleges. In the last ten years, both Melila Hellner-Eshed and Rabbi Daniel Epstein have been inspiring teachers for her art.

Professional Credentials

Education

1968 B.A. in English literature, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri
1969 MA in English literature and education, Boston College, Boston
1982 BFA at Bezalel Art Institute, Jerusalem
1979-80 Studied printmaking with Claire Romano at Pratt Institute, New York
1988 Studied textile surface design, Philadelphia College of the Arts, Philadelphia, USA
1994-99 Studied Biblical and Talmudic texts at Beit Midrash Elul, Jerusalem

Selected one-person shows

2006-07 “The Story of Joseph: Unveiling the Text”, Yeshiva University Museum, New York
2007-08 “From Dreams to Revelation”, Hebrew University, Mt. Scopus Campus, Jerusalem
2008 “Cloth and Staff”, The Other Gallery, Talpiot College, Tel Aviv
2012 “Renewal”, Kehilat Yedidya Gallery, Jerusalem
2012 “Trembling of Wings”, Beit Shmuel Gallery, Jerusalem
2014 “I Dreamed a Dream”, Matan Gallery, Jerusalem
2014 “The Texture of the Text,” Yakar Gallery, Jerusalem
2016 “Illumination” ,”צוהר” Kehilat Yedidya Gallery, Jerusalem
2018 “Bone of My Bones” עצם מעצמי”, Marie Gallery, Jerusalem
2019 “The Blue the Purple and the Scarlet”, Kol Haot Gallery, Jerusalem
2019 “Hovering Over the Deep”, ,”מרחפת מעל פני התהום”Marie Gallery, Jerusalem
2020-21 “Ten Cubits” “עשר אמות”, , Kehilat Yedidya Gallery, Jerusalem

Selected group shows

2000 “Judaica 2000”, A Show of Hands Contemporary Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
2000 “Liturgical Textiles”: Convergence 2000, Cincinnati, Ohio
2001 “Gerrycan: Vessels”, House of Quality, Jerusalem
2002 Representative of Israel,“18th International Tapestry Symposium” Graz, Austria
2006 “Civilization and Discontent: 150 Years Since the birth of Freud”, Begin Heritage Center,
Jerusalem
2007 “Body in Mind” International Surface Design Association, Kansas City
2008 “In Four Languages: Contemporary Calligraphy” at Kehilat Yedidyah, Jerusalem
2009 “Cut” 25th Anniversary Textile Exhibit, Graz, Austria
2011 “Under the Jerusalem Sky: Contemporary Art for the Jewish Soul”, Nikola Rukaj Gallery,
Toronto
2013 “Freedom”, Museum of ImaJewnation, St. Louis, Missouri
2013 “First Biennial of Jewish Art”, Hechal Shlomo Gallery, Jerusalem
2013 “Nature and Culture”, European Jewish Culture Day, Attenweiler Gallery, Attenweiler,
Germany
2014 “Women in Judaism”, European Jewish Culture Day, Museo Omero, Ancona, Italy
2014 “The Other”, Wolfson Museum, Hechal Shlomo, Jerusalem
2014 ” Twenty-five Years of Elul”, The First Station Gallery, Jerusalem
2015 “Transparent Opaque”, Second Biennial of Jewish Art, Skirball Museum, Jerusalem
2017 “Diaspora”, European Culture Day, Attenweiler Gallery, Germany
2017 “Opening”, Marie Gallery, Jerusalem
2018 “Noise”, Marie Gallery, Jerusalem
2018 “Wolfson Museum, Hechal Shlomo Jerusalem
2018 “Plastic Arts”, Marie Gallery, Jerusalem
2019 “Dress’, Agripas 12 and Marie Galleries, Jerusalem
2019 “And there was evening and there was morning”, Marie Gallery, Jerusalem
2020 “Home /Printing” Marie Gallery, Jerusalem
2021 “Women in Judaism” Museum zur Geschichte von Christen und Juden, Laupheim, Germany

Teaching

1981-82 Teaching assistant, paper-making studio, Bezalel Art Institute, Jerusalem
1982-85 Instructor, design, Department of Photography, Hadassah Community College
Jerusalem
1992-1996 Established and coordinated art department, Torah Arts High School, Jerusalem
1994– Instructor, art/text workshops at various institutions including Beit Midrash Elul,
Orot College, Lindenbaum College
1998-2000 Committee for Art Education in the Religious School System, Department of
Education, Jerusalem
1995-2002 Examiner for art matriculation projects, Jerusalem
2004-2011 Lecturer, Department of Jewish Art, Bar Ilan University Ramat Gan

Selected Grants

2001-2002 AWE workshop, sponsored by Bronfman Fellowships in Israel
2003-2004 Fellowship Grant, Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture, New York
2005-2006 Fellowship Grant, Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture, New York
2008 Brandeis Research Award, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts
2008 Fanya Gottesfeld – Women’s studies – Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan

Residencies

1996 Cheluskinskaya Printmaking Workshop, Cheluskinskaya, Russia
1998 Artist in Residence, Jewish Community Center, Kansas City, Kansas
1999 Ghetto Fighter’s Museum Residence, Lohamei Hagetaot, Israel
2002 Raiffeisenhoff Educational Center, Graz, Austria
2019 Artist in Residence, Kol Ha”Ot, Jerusalem

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